The Occupational Outlook Handbook Essays Examples

Being an accountant is a great profession. It is a profession that directly involves numbers in that accountants measure the different financial figures related to disclosures, provision of assurance about financial information, and reports that help investors, managers, tax authorities, and other stakeholders make informed decisions when it comes to allocating financial resources. Accountants, just like any other professionals, are required to hold a license in order to practice. Licensed accountants are called Certified or Chartered Public Accountant. They get their license only after passing a tough licensure examination. They can work in accounting forms where they perform audits of a company’s balance sheet and other financial statements. In some cases, they work for corporations who need accounting staff for book keeping purposes. Either way, accountants perform a highly important role in business. Financial resources make the world go round for these organizations; without liquidity, they would cease to function and accountants help manage the continuity of the flow of such resources.
In terms of work environment and conditions, accountants are expected to work mainly in an office setting. As mentioned earlier, they can either work in-house for a corporation or for an accounting firm. Regardless, they are expected to spend most of their workday indoors. There can be cases wherein an accountant may be directed to perform a work in the field. Examples of such cases may include asset valuation commonly performed in auditing firms—the auditing staff would visit warehouses and other facilities where a private entity says its assets and inventories are located. This is done to verify the existence of assets. Once they value the assets, the accountants then proceed by documenting their findings and submitting it to the necessary regulatory agencies for filing. In most cases, the accounting profession’s physical demand ranges from low to nonexistent.
Before being an accountant, a person has to finish a bachelor’s course in accounting. This is usually four years long. After which, he has to review for an upcoming licensure examination. Reviewing can easily take several months of the applicant’s time given the complexity and difficulty of the exam. It would only be after passing the licensure exam that the applicant can practice his profession and start looking for a job. In terms of trainings required, accounting seminars that are apart from the typical classroom sessions and job immersion programs would fall under this category. In most cases, these trainings are optional or elective.
In terms of the job outlook, accountants have a pretty rosy future. With the number of companies and businesses being established increasing, the demand for people who would be tasked to manage and account for their financial assets would only increase. This should be the main driving factor for the future of the accounting industry. Additionally regulations against accounting fraud and misrepresentation cases grow in number and become stricter, the demand for accountants working in auditing firms and for private corporations should improve as well. +
Accountants work during the day, typically during office hours from 8 in the morning up to 5 in the afternoon. They usually work overtime too. The median salary of a CPA is $53,000 annually. Benefits include the typical benefits that corporate employees receive such as health benefits, wellness center membership, allowances, quarterly, and Christmas bonuses, among others.